Wave-motor.



G. w. SANDERSON.

WAVE MOTOR.

APPLICATION men MAR. 23. 1915.

1,169,356 Patented Jan.25,1916.

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G. W. SANDER'SON.

WAVE MOTOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. s, 1915.

Patented Jan. 25, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2- Illlll eafi Smdehsa/Z G. W. SANDERSON.

WAVE MOTOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 8, 1915.

1,169,356. Patented Jan.25,1916.

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GEORGE w. SANDEEsON, E LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA.

WAVE-MOTOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 25, 1916.

Application filed March 8, 1915. Serial No. 12,979.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. SANDER- son, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Long Beach, in the county of Los Angeles and Stateof California, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement inave-Motors, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a device for deriving power from waves, and hasparticular reference to a wave motor, objects of this invention being toprovide a simple and effective device in which the force of each wave issuccessively utilized to transmit power, to the end that a continuouspower transmitting motion may be had under all conditions of the tide.

These and other objects are accomplished by the device described in thesubjoined specification in connection with the accompanying drawings inwhich,

Figure 1 is a sectional plan view showing my invention, the sectionbeing taken on line 11 Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, Fig. 3 is anenlarged end view, Fig. 4 is an enlarged section on lines 4-4 Figs. 3,1, and 2, Fig. 5 is an enlarged section on lines 55 Fig.3, Fig. 6 is anenlarged plan view of the shaft operating mechanism, Fig. 7 is anenlarged section on lines 7-7 Figs. 4, 5 and 6, Fig. 8 is an enlargedside elevation, and Fig. 9 is an enlarged end elevation of Fig. 8.

My invention generally consists of a series of units disposed in thepath of waves, whereby each unit will successively receive the force ofor be actuated by the wave, and each unit will be moved independently totransmit power to elements operatively connected therewith.

Specifically my invention consists of a frame 1, suspended in proximityto the surface of the water and balanced from a superstructure 2,resting on cross pieces 3, which in turn are supported by series ofpiling 4, by weights 5 attached to the end of ropes or cables 5, runningover sheaves 6 on said superstructure 2, the other end of said cables orropes being connected to the frame 1. Said frame may be held stationaryand out of contact with the waves, when advisable to prevent injurythereto by the buffeting of the waves in stormy weather, by any suitabledevice, such for instance as shown in Figs. 8 and 9, wherein the sheave6 is provided with a ratchet 7 which is heldv against movement by a pawl8, operable, by a lever 9, on a suitable support 10, to disengage samefrom ,the ratchet, such lever being secured in inoperative position byany suitable means, as a hook 12, engaging a pin 13, on said support 10.

The series of piling 4, referred to, severally comprise two piles 4 and4, spaced apart, and provided with chafe-plates 14. Between the piles 4and 4 extend transverse braces 15, which are connected with and serve tosteady and guide the frame 1, when moved vertically by the tides.Hingedly mounted on each of said braces 15, and between the side stripsof said frame is a float 16, having a beveled edge 17, and arranged tobe moved relatively to the frame 1 by the motion of the waves, themovement of such floats 16, being limited by a chain 18, connected atone end to said floats, and at the other end to said transversebraces15, coiled springs 19 being preferably interposed intermediate thelengths of said chains 18, to reduce the shock when the floats have beenmoved to the limit allowed by the chains. Each float 16, is providedwith a bar 20, carrying an eye-bolt 21, to which is attached a cable orrope 22, that is wound over a spool 23, and runs over a spool 24, aweight being attached to the other end of said cable, for purposes toappear later.

The spools 23 and 24 are mounted in the ends 26 and 27, respectively, ofa walking beam 28, loosely mounted on a shaft 30, trunnioned in pillowblocks 31, secured to blocks 32, or carried on said cross-pieces 3.Keyed or otherwise fixed to the shaft30, is a ratchet wheel 33, which isarranged to be operated by a pawl 34, on and when, said walking beam 28,is actuated by the fall or weight of the floats 16. In this manner theshaft 30 is revolved, the revolutions thereof being continuous with thesuccessive operation of the floats.

The spool 23 is provided with a ratchet wheel 35, with which a pawl 36,is normally in engagement, to prevent the rotation of said spool by thecable 22, and thereby cause the walking beam 28 to be pulled down by theweight of the float. This pawl 36 is pivotally attached at one end to anelbow 37 and is held in normal suspended position preferably by a spring36. One end of said elbow is pivotally carried in a lug 38, fixed to thewalking beam 28, and the free end 37 thereof is arranged to strikeagainst an abutment 39 on each of said cross-pieces 3, to cause thedisengagement of said pawl 36 from the ratchet wheel 35. Upon therelease of said pawl from said ratchet wheel, the spool 23 may turnfreely and the float 16 may descend further, thereby automaticallyadjusting itself to tide conditions.

To cause the return of said walking beam 28, with the rise of the floatand keep same in normal position, the end 27 of said walking beam isprovided with a weight 40.

The device as hereinbefore described, comprises as many shaft operatingunits as there are floats, and each being identical in construction andoperation, only one has been specifically described.

In operation, a wave will lift the floats 16 in succession, and in sodoing cause the weights 25, to be lowered, over the revolving spools 23and 24. When the wave has passed, the floats will descend, and throughthe cables, which are now held tight on the spools 23, that, due to theengagement of the pawls 36 with the ratchet wheels 35 thereof, areprevented from revolving. produce a movement of the walking beams 28,which,through the medium of the ratchet wheels 33, transmit motion tothe shaft 30, said transmission of motion occurring successively as thefloats are operated. Obviously any power producing mechanism may beconnected with the shaft.

What I claim is:

1. A wave motor comprising a frame, suspended and balanced in proximityto the surface of the water, a shaft, a plurality of ratchet wheelsfixed on said shaft, a plurality of walking beams having spoolsjournaled thereon, a plurality of floats, hingedly secured at one end tosaid frame and having their free ends disposed in the path of the waves,said floats lying in the same horizontal plane and behind each otherwhereby to successively receive the impact of waves, a cable wound onone of the spools on each of said walking beams, and running over theother spool, weights on the ends of said cables, the other ends of saidcables being connected with the free ends of said floats, meansto'prevent said spools over which said cables are wound from turning,and means to release said means to permit said spools to turn when thetide falls below a fixed normal.

2. A wave motor comprising a frame, a guide therefor, a plurality ofweighted cables to hold said frame in balanced suspension, a pluralityof floats hingedly connected at one end to said frame and disposed inthe path of waves to be successively operated thereby, a shaft, anoscillatory operating means for said shaft carrying spools, a cablewound on one of. the.

spools of each of said operating means and running over the other spool,said cables carrying weights and connected to the free ends of saidfloats, means to hold said spools over which said cables are woundagainst revolution, and means to release said means.

3. A wave motor comprising a guide, a frame movable therein, means tosuspend said frame, means to balance said frame, a shaft, ratchet wheelsthereon, a plurality of walking beams loose on said shaft having spoolsand provided with means for enga ing and operating said ratchet wheelsin one direction, and means for operating said walking beams, comprisingcables, each wound on one of the spools of each walking beam and runningover the other spool and carrying a weight at one end, a plurality offloats hingedly attached to said frame, the

other end of each cable being attached to said floats, pawls to hold thespools on which the cables are'wound against revolution, and meansoperable by the movement of said walking beams to disengage said pawlsfrom said spools.

In testimony whereof I have set my hand in the presence of twowitnesses.

GEORGE l/V. SANDERSON. lVitnesses:

E. E. VINsoN, E. L. S'rILwELL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

